Customer Reviews

Committed to Breathing (English and English Edition)

5 star:		(7)
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3 star:		(1)
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Medina has certainly mastered the art of chanting down Babylon (the world of capitalism and greed a.k.a. the U.S.A a.k.a. homogenous westernized civilization) with his hard hitting in your face brand of poetry. In the tradition of poets like Amiri Baraka, in his most recent volume of poetry Committed to Breathing Medina continues his bold protest. Armed with lyricism, style, honesty and a mastery of his own unique poet form, Medina stands toe-to-toe with the giants of our society (Racism, the Media, Big Business, War, Classism...etc) and beats them into literary oblivion one quick-witted line at a time.
Committed to Breathing is divided into six sections: "Diallo", "How to Become a United States Citizen", "This is the Way We Go to War", "Chickens Coming Home to Roast", "Coltrane Spoke to Me One Night", "Mingus Among Us".
The first four sections take on a variety of political issues focusing on a range of topics like the media's biases and control of the viewing audience, personal hardships people face under the thumb of capitalism and police brutality and the injustices of the judicial system. In the poem "Doorway Dirge" uses explicit imagery to create a picture of 41 bullets piercing Amadou Diallo:
bullets open
into flames
peel back
flesh in search
of blood and
bone
41 points of light
leak out onto
hands clutching keys
the latch not yet
undone
In the final two sections there is a shift from the more political to more personal poetry. In these two sections Medina eloquently explores many of the struggles of every day human existence. In his poem "Sometime in the Summer There's October" Medina writes passionately, movingly and honestly about the impending death of a lover who is living with cancer:
what impostors we are:
you in that broken skin
trying to hold your bones
together in its web
of dust and blood

and me trying
to keep
from sobbing
like the night
my grandmother died
in her light blue robe

It is in the last to section that Medina displays his range and skill and depth in the ability to so affectively write in not only a myriad of poetic forms but also masterfully approach a range of topics without ever losing his unique style and control of language and concrete imagery.
Committed to Breathing is the best example yet of why Tony Medina will continue to be a literary force to be reckoned with.

First time that I read the poetry of Tony medina, I really like it. It is plenty of reality. The reality of our society's conflicts, such as discrimination, violence and struggle for survived, but also is about ecological issues that are affecting us.
I recommend "Committed to Breathing", It really will keep you awake about a real world.

Tony Medina's book Committed to Breathing was certainly one of the most expressive and influential pieces of literature I have ever read. Medina's poems discusses his viewpoints on various social issues and conflicts. Medina's poetry helps you to see things in a different perspective. He shares with the reader a wide variety of viewpoints that he believes in. Medina creates a desire for us to ponder about things we see everyday but quickly discard.

Tony Medina's Committed to Breathing is exciting, at the level of visual play, language, attitude, energy,
and emotionality. This is a poet who is adept at manipulating the idea (content) with structure and form,
and he has the playfulness, insight, and instinct to shape new forms. There is often a simplicity to the work,
but this simplicity is achieved through a complex system of wit, compassion, honesty, and newness. The Diallo
poems are astounding, particularly when he the narrator enters the classroom: this is a daring provocation. How
does a man of color get away with that level of (out)rage? I don't know, but he does, and I commend both the poet
for daring to go there & for the students, the college, the "system" to allow him the breathing space to do so.
This collection is brilliant and raw and tricks us with its system of trained, tight lines. There is emotional, political,
spiritual clarity in Medina's words, and I'm grateful to have met them.

This book was very good. It dealt with modern issues using the form of poetry. I think everyone should read this book. Tony Medina put things in a very good perspective.

Actually,it was the first time to buy a poetry book for me.
through this book I could understand what I`ve never felt so far and also I could be interested at the African American writings. The very advantage of this book is you might able to know how writing can be fighting.
I recommend this book firmly and also I recommend 'Not Without Laughter'by langston hughes.

I read the poetry book "COMMITTED TO BREATHING" a few times until I got what Tony Medina was saying. I have never read a poetry book like "committed to breathing" the book talks about the reality and how upper leveled flocks destroying the world. I think one day Tony Medina's book will teach the leaders to judge appropriate way. His words are very powerful. I recommend every one to read the poems.

commited to breathing is a very good book. It could give you many facts about our society. Also, words in this book is very emotional. three are many things in this book that could awake you to the world that we live in.

I had to read a book "COMMITTED BY BREATHING" couple of times untill I understood what Tony Medina was saying. He just put on the paper whatever he felt in a moment and his feelings were very strong expresed. And that is what I liked about his poems. I met Tony in person in my English class and he is just a regular guy, who likes telling people what he feels and how he looks at a world, at everything in a life.
I would advise to read this book to everybody who like looking at a world with an open eyes and who like strong feelings.

What is Poetry? Poetry is the art of expression, and the root of
language. It is the freest form of writing. In the same way, breathing is the root of life. When you stop breathing, you die, and when you stop writing poetry language dies. Tony Medina's book of poetry Comitted to Breathing, exemplifies writing that changes your views and perpceptions, which could lead to social change.